The Orkin Activity Bug Bookis a fun way for children
to learn. It’s filled with games to play and they all help children
learn about pests that may invade homes. Plus, there is a section for you to create
your own bugs.
Insects can be good for the environment.
Some Insects help us, some bugs hurt us,and some bugs can be dangerous – it’simportant to learn about what is inside and outside of your home.
To learn more about insects, visit:www.orkin.com
Use this activity book to go on a
backyard safari and discover some interesting insects
that live in your environment!
WHY DOES ORKIN TEACH
ABOUT INSECTS?
WHY DOES ORKIN TEACH
ABOUT INSECTS?
RSI #22-017-9 Rev 10/2003
Look OutsideNear your home or a park is a good place to look for insects. Since insects are small compared to you, take some time to slow down and notice them. Manyinsects survive by hiding. So, you will have to look carefully for them underrocks, leaves, bark, and between cracks in the pavement. Many insects can alsobe found on trees or on flowering plants. Another good place to find insects isa pond or a stream. Look in the shallow water near the shore. Insects may be in thewater, on top of the water, flying around above the water, or in the wet groundnext to the water.
Look InsideA fly buzzing around the dinner table is hard to miss. But most insects that liveinside your house try to stay out of sight. You might be able to surprise someby shining a flashlight where it’s usually dark, like under the kitchen sink or ina crawl space. The main reason insects come into your house is for food. Youwill often find them near trash or food that has been left uncovered.
What to WearIf you’re looking for insects outside, be sure to protect yourself! Wear longpants, boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and a hat. You might even need to weargloves.
What to Bring AlongBring along a magnifying glass to help you see the insects better. Also bring pencil and paper for taking notes on the insects you observe. You’ll need several containers to keep insects in, if you decide to bring some home toobserve. Empty plastic containers with clear tops work very well. So do sealableplastic bags. Be sure to put some leaves in with the insect so it has somethingto hang onto until you get home. After you observe the insect, be sure to returnit to its environment.
Be CarefulWhile looking for insects you need to be careful not to get lost. Stick to highly visible public areas that you know well. Also, be aware that some insects willbite or sting you if you disturb them. It is probably best to just observe themand move on to the next discovery.
Draw a circle for a head. Add two more body regions: a thoraxand an abdomen.
Add your choice of mouthpartsto the head.
Add your choice of a pair of eyesto the head.
Add your choice of six legs tothe thorax.
Add two or four wings to the thorax.
Add two antennae of the samekind to the head.
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How and Where to Look for Insect
s Create Your Own Insect
Draw a picture of your insect here.
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3
5
2
4
5
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Safari Maze GameThe young adventurer to the left is ready for an insect safari. Guide the bug discoverer
through the maze to find the ant on the pavement (1), the beetle by the log (2), and the butterfly on the flower (3).
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23
1START
Clothes Moth
Actual Size
Butterflies, Moths,and Caterpillars
Go on an Insect Hunt!Butterflies and moths have a
similar life cycle. The eggs hatch into
caterpillars. The caterpillars become
pupae, which then turn into butterflies
or moths. Clothes moth caterpillars eat
woolen clothes. The moths often lay eggs
on wool clothes, so when the caterpillar
emerges it has something to eat. Because
they like to lay their eggs on clothes,
you might look for clothes moths inside.
Butterflies will usually be found outdoors.
The caterpillars feed on leaves and the
butterflies feed on nectar.
Draw a picture of your insect here.
Caterpillar
Actual Size
Monarch Butterfly
Actual Size
Which picture below looks like the insect you found?
Describe whatyou found
Where did you find your insect, indoors or outdoors?
Look closely at the insect’santennae. Moths havethread-like or featheryantennae; butterflies haveknobs on the ends of theirantennae. What kind ofantennae does your insect have?
How long is your insect?
What color is it?
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2
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A h ousefly can only eat l iquid food, so it thro
ws
up
asu
bst
ance
tha
td
isso
lves
soli
df o
od
s.It
’sli
keha
vingamilksha
k efo
reve ry mea
l!
2
Grasshoppers and Crickets
Go on an Insect Hunt!You can usually find crickets
and grasshoppers outside in the
grass of lawns, parks, and meadows.
Occasionally, they will come indoors.
Crickets make a chirping sound;
grasshoppers do not. Both crickets and
grasshoppers are very good hoppers. They
can jump pretty high and pretty far. Be
careful! Some crickets and grasshopers
may pinch you if you try to handle them!
Draw a picture of your insect here.
Which picture below looks like the insect you found?
Describe whatyou found
What color is your insect?
How long is your insect?
Where did you find it?
Can you tell if your insect is a cricket or a grasshopper?
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2
3
4
3
house cricketfield cricket
Grasshopper
Actual Size
Actual Size
Actual Size∑ C
ri cketsh
ave"ears"
onth
e ir
f ront legs just below
their
knees.
Thesedrum-likem
embra
nes
are
ve r
yse
nsi t
ive to sound vibrat ions.
BeetlesGo on an Insect Hunt!Beetles can be found in many
different places. The best place to
look is outside. But some beetles like
to eat things that you keep around the
house, like flour. Some amazing insects
are bioluminescent! This means that, like
the firefly, they have the ability to make
light. Beetles come in all shapes and sizes.
Some can fly. Always be careful if you
handle beetles—they might pinch.
Which picture below looks like the insect you found?
Describe whatyou found
What color is your beetle?
What shape is your beetle? Is it rounded or long and thin?
Does your beetle haveany special marks?
Can your beetle fly?
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2
3
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ladybug
firefly
Flour beetle
Actual Size
Actual Size
Actual Size
∑A
termite
qu
eencanlivefo
r15
yea
rsand can lay
aneg
gevery
threesecondsforher
entirelife
.
4
Flies Go on an Insect Hunt!Most people are familiar with
flies that buzz around food at the
dinner table or at picnics. But did you
know that mosquitoes are also a type
of fly? House flies feed on sweets and
garbage in your house, but mosquitoes
may feed on you! Female mosquitoes
feed on blood from mammals, including
humans. Mosquitoes like to live near
water and their numbers increase
after summer rain
Draw a picture of your insect here.
Which picture below looks like the insect you found?
Describe whatyou found
Where did you observethe insect?
Does your insect havelong legs or short legs?
What shape is yourinsect’s body? Stocky or thin?
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2
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mosquito
House fly
Actual Size
Actual Size
Only female mosquitoesbite.Theyneed
ab
lood meal beforeth
eyca
n lay theireggs.
AntsGo on an Insect Hunt!Ants are usually found outdoors.
Most ants live in large nests that
they build in fallen logs, under stones,
or in cracks in the pavement. Ants
prefer to eat sweet things, and they
will often head indoors to find sweets.
Be careful! Some kinds of ants (fire ants,
for example) can give you painful stings.
Which picture below looks like the insect you found?
Describe whatyou found
Where did you find your ant? The locationwill help you figure outwhat kind of ant it is.
What color is your ant?
How long is your ant?Carpenter ants are longer than pavementants and house ants.
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2
3
Actual Size
Actual Size
Actual Size
Carpenter ant
pavement ant
odoroushouse ant
Some termites defendtheirnestbyexplodin
g
and spraying
their enemy with
sticky
guts.
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MysteryArthropods
Go on an Insect Hunt!There are many strange and
amazing creatures that we have
not discussed in this booklet. Go on
another adventure to find the most
amazing arthropod you can. If you look
at night, maybe you will find an earwig
in a pavement crack around your house.
People used to think that these insects
crawled in people’s ears at night. If you
look near a lake, maybe you will see a
damselfly. They often fly in pairs. If you
look under a rock where the ground is
wet, maybe you will find a pillbug.
Pillbugs aren’t even insects; they’re the
only crustacean that can live on land.
Draw a picture of your insect here.
Which picture below looks like the insect you found?
Describe whatyou found
What do you think thepincers on the back ofthe earwig are for?
How many pairs of wingsdoes a damselfly have?
What happens when youlightly touch a pillbug?
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Actual Size
Actual Size
Actual Size earwig
DAMSELFLY
pillbug
A cockroach is thefastestthing
on
six legs, traveling
upto
fiv
e feet per second!
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???
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Draw a Ladybug
Draw a picture of your insect here.
1 2 3Draw the letter"D" on its side.
Next, draw a circle.Draw the letter "L" six times for legs.
Draw lines for antennae.Draw circles for eyes, andadd big black spots on the beetle’s back.
Draw an AntDraw two ovals foreyes. Place a dotinside each oval.
Add theletter “V” four times to
draw the first two arms. Next draw two long “V”s for legs. Below the first set of “V”s draw parallel lines to make a second pair of arms.Make hands by drawing four triangles. Draw two large diamonds for feet.
Finish your ant by drawing small triangles on the
hands for fingers. Antennae can be made
by drawing parallel lines thatare bent and adding trianglesand ovals. You can also addthings like a mouth, and segments to the arms, legs, feet, and body.
Add a head by drawing a bigger oval behind the eyes.
Draw a long skinny oval underneath the head. Draw a bigger oval behind the body. Draw two lines to connect the head and body.
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